Warnings against Ryder Cup price hikes

Updated: 22:15, Tuesday, 22 August 2006

John O'Donoghue has requested that tourism and hospitality service providers exercise price restraint during the Ryder Cup.

1 of 1 John O'Donoghue Advising price restraint
John O'Donoghue
Advising price restraint

The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, John O'Donoghue, has requested that service providers in the tourism and hospitality industry exercise price restraint during the Ryder Cup.

The minister's comments came after the US Ambassador to Ireland, James Kenny, warned that any attempts to over exploit US tourists during the golf tournament would cause long-term damage to the Irish tourism industry.

Speaking on RTÉ' Radio's News at One, Mr O'Donoghue said there was some evidence that overpricing was going on.

Earlier, Mr Kenny told the US news agency, Bloomberg, that some golf courses were doubling their fees for the Ryder Cup or for the summer, just because it is Ryder Cup year. He said it was not welcoming for Americans who might want to come back to Ireland.

A spokeswoman for the US embassy in Dublin said that the ambassador was a tremendous fan of golf courses in Ireland.

She said Mr Kenny wanted to see Ireland have a successful Ryder Cup which would not only attract visits for the competition but would also encourage tourists to return.

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